Mentor Areas
My research group at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine focuses on noninvasive and affordable delivery of recombinant proteins. Although biologics have been used in the clinic for more than eight decades, they are mostly unaffordable, thereby limiting their access to a large global population. Strikingly, the per capita prescription of drug spending in the U.S. is the highest in the world. The interquartile range of biological product prices ranged from $18,861 to $288,759 between 2008-2021. However, when biologics are made in plant cells, their cost is < 3% (~$2500) of the median annual price of biologics ($84,508).
The high cost is largely due to their production in cell culture systems (bacteria, yeast, CHO cells) requiring prohibitively expensive fermentation systems, purification of host cell proteins (>99%) to minimize allergic reactions and instability of purified proteins requiring cold chain/transportation and invasive delivery through injections. Therefore, my lab pioneered the approach to develop recombinant proteins in edible plant cells that could be delivered orally via capsules or topically using chewing gums, eliminating the need for fermentation, purification or cold chain. FDA approval of biologics bioencapsulated in plant cells has demonstrated a dramatic decrease in cost of drugs and a fraction of the regulatory cost for launching new drugs. FDA has approved biologics developed in plant cells in our lab for clinical evaluation. Ongoing projects include oral insulin capsules, antiviral chewing gums to prevent infection or transmission of oral viruses (Coronavirus, influenza virus, HERPES, Human Papilloma virus) or enzymes to kill pathogenic bacteria or yeast.
Description:
Our lab projects are designed based on the course work and other experiences a student has. Students will work with post-doctoral fellows until they gain independence.
Preferred Qualifications
Safety training and lab courses in biological science or microbiology or chemistry
Project Website
Learn more about the researcher and/or the project here. Faculty Profile
Details:
Preferred Student Year
First-year, Second-Year
Academic Term
Fall, Spring, Summer
I prefer to have students start during the above term(s).Volunteer
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to volunteers.Paid
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to paying students they engage in their research, regardless of their work-study eligibility.Work Study
Yes
Yes indicates that faculty are open to hiring work-study-eligible students.